GAZA/ARAB LEAGUE DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO GOM

UNCLAS RABAT 001202 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/IPA - PAYTON KNOPF, NEA/MAG AND IO/UNP E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM MOPS ASEC KPAL KWBG MO SUBJECT: GAZA/ARAB LEAGUE DEMARCHE DELIVERED TO GOM REF: STATE 134964 ¶1. (SBU) With Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Taieb Fassi Fihri and Secretary General Youssef Amrani both out of Morocco, the Ambassador delivered reftel demarche to MFA Chief of Staff Nassir Bourita on December 30. The Ambassador particularly emphasized the need to modulate rhetoric to avoid further enflaming sensibilities. Bourita said he would pass the message on to the Minister but offered no further thoughts on the events in Gaza. ¶2. (U) Local media continued to carry widespread broadcast and print coverage in both French and Arabic of Israeli attacks on Gaza, and calls for immediate cessation of hostilities. Most major dailies featured half or full-page photos of bloody corpses on the front pages. Moderate media outlets carried unusually strong and emotional editorials and news coverage, using terms such as "barbarism," "carnage," and "holocaust against Palestinians," and publishing shocking photos, e.g. bodies of children. ¶3. (U) Opinion focused on the alleged disproportionate response of Israeli military to Hamas rocket attacks (of which little mention is made),and the need for intervention to bring a cessation to hostilities and bring parties back to the negotiation table. "L'Opinion," the ruling Istiqlal party's daily, and others had explicit criticism of the heads of Arab and European states and of the U.S. for failing to act, with strong criticism of Egypt and the Mubarak regime most prominent. Several editorials criticized the U.S. administration's tacit or implicit support of Israel's actions. The Pro-palace French-language daily, "Le Matin," said Israel's action took advantage of the transition period between U.S. Administrations and said the action "constitutes a clear warning to President-elect Obama." Islamist Arabic-language daily "Attajdid" says "Gaza's resistance is a message to the U.S. Administration, which should [already] have learned the lesson of its support to Israel." Other articles and one political cartoon criticize a perceived U.S. double standard. ¶4. (U) Arabic and French language print media also covered the Moroccan Foreign Ministry's press communique, stressing "Morocco's official strong condemnation of the Israeli aggression in Gaza" and Morocco's "call for an immediate stop to this aggression." The communique included King Mohammed VI's appeal to the UN Security Council to take responsibility for ensuring a stop to the aggression and resumption of negotiations. ¶5. (U) Peaceful demonstrations by up to 1,000 protestors took place in Casablanca on December 28 and Rabat on December 29. ***************************************** Visit Embassy Rabat's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov/p/nea/rabat ***************************************** Riley